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I Never Knew I Had a Debt in Collections. What Are My Rights?
Imagine this scenario: You get a phone call from a debt collector, who tells you they’ve reached out a few times to get you to pay a debt. But you never got any letters or phone calls and maybe you...
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How to Challenge a Debt Collector & Win
A reader, Anthony, wrote to me to share the success he had in dealing with the debt collection issues he faced earlier this year. He started off with the goal of settling an old unpaid credit card,...
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A Debt Collector Contacted You — Now What?
Every day, hundreds of thousands of consumers are contacted by debt collectors regarding delinquent debts. As a debt collector myself, I can tell you that getting a debt collection call is not on...
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Woman Sues Debt Collector, Wins $83 Million
A Missouri jury ordered a debt buyer to pay nearly $83 million to a Kansas City woman it pursued for a $1,000 credit card bill she didn’t owe, NPR affiliate KCUR reports. The jury found Portfolio...
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Is There a Statute of Limitation for My Student Loans?
Is there a statute of limitations on student loan debt? An essay in the New York Times by a writer who strategically defaulted on his student loans has rekindled the ongoing debate about the fairness...
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Chase to Pay $166 Million for ‘Shoddy & Illegal’ Debt Collection Practices
JPMorgan Chase will pay $166 million to settle charges that it engaged in illegal debt collection activities for years, and must adhere to strict new debt collection rules, state and federal...
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My Debt Was Charged Off. What Does That Mean?!
One of the most misunderstood credit terms is the phrase “charged-off.” You may have seen it on your credit report next to an old debt you vaguely remember. At first look, it sounds almost positive,...
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The 10 Biggest Consumer Complaints in America
iStock Woes, Worries & WHY! Health care billing issues, IRS imposter scams and student loan consolidators were among the biggest consumer headaches last year, joining more familiar complaints...
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What a Typical Debt Collector Payment Plan Looks Like
When a debt collector has contacted you about a past-due debt and you are unable to pay the entire amount, or settle the account for less than the balance in a lump sum payment, you may have another...
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Can Someone Else Negotiate With Debt Collectors for Me?
Q. I used a medical bill advocate to help negotiate health expenses, and they saved me thousands. Is there a similar service for credit card and student loan debt? Due to my medical expenses and job...
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When a Debt Collector Pretends to Be the Pizza Guy
When the phone rang, the message on the caller ID display was a surprise. Sometimes it said, “Flower Shop.” Or “Pizza Delivery.” Or the name or number of a family member. Or “Repossession Services.”...
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Can a Debt Collector Text You?
The good old-fashioned phone call has steadily given way to text messaging in recent years, including, it seems, within the debt collection industry. A Credit.com blog reader recently shared her story...
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How to Keep a Debt Collector From Ruining the Holidays
The holidays are swiftly approaching, and, while everyone’s generally happy to wait on Santa, there’s one person you surely won’t want calling this time of year: a debt collector. Fortunately,...
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A ‘Freddy Got Fingered’ VHS Rental From 2002 Landed This Guy in Handcuffs
A North Carolina man found himself on the wrong end of a 14-year-old VHS rental gone wrong this week. As local news station WSOC reported, James Meyers was pulled over for a broken tail light, but...
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Debt Collectors Calling About a Debt You Don’t Owe? You’re Not Alone
It’s no surprise that consumers don’t like debt collection companies very much. It is a surprise, however, that complaints against them keep mounting, even after federal regulators sue firms for the...
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Who Can a Debt Collector Call to Track You Down?
Can a debt collector contact family, friends, or co-workers in an attempt to find you? Yes, yes, and yes. But she or he can’t say very much. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act offers consumers a...
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Debt Collectors May Not Be Able to Call You As Often Under New Rules
Debt collectors would face strict new limitations on how (and when) they contact consumers under a sweeping proposal announced Thursday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Collectors would be...
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A Debt Collector Came After Me for $36 of Girl Scout Cookies
It doesn’t matter how much of a morning person you are: No one enjoys answering an unexpected knock on the door at 7 a.m., let alone from someone you don’t know. Now imagine the stranger is there to...
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Can a Debt Collector Come After Me if My Wages Are Already Being Garnished?
Having your wages garnished seems bad enough, but just when you think you’ve given all that you can from your paycheck, you get hit up again by a debt collector for the same debt. And now you’re left...
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The Biggest Credit Union in the U.S. Will Pay $28.5 Million for Bad Debt...
Navy Federal Credit Union made threats and restricted account access to delinquent members as part of a pattern of illegal debt collection practices, federal regulators said Tuesday. The credit union,...
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